1. Field
The invention is in the field of colon cleansing devices and colonic boards or units used to introduce water into a person's colon through the rectum to flush fecal matter and other undesired matter from the colon.
2. State of the Art
Colon irrigation or cleansing as a form of corrective and preventative medicine is not a new development but rather one which has gained in popularity in recent years with the coming of age of natural remedies and holistic medicine. The colon is said to play a major role in a person's overall health with various sections thereof interactive with and affecting various parts of a person's anatomy. Colon cleansing is used to flush fecal matter, parasites, excess colon mucus and other unwanted matter from the colon so as to improve a person's health. Such cleansing is typically done periodically by users thereof.
The typical way that colon cleansing was done in the past was by positioning ones-self over a toilet and introducing water into the colon by means of a tube having an insertion proctle, speculum, or tip which was inserted into the person's rectum which tube was connected at the opposite end thereof to an elevated container containing water. Such method was messy with typically poor control of the water flow rate with some of the water with fecal matter exiting the rectum typically missing the toilet bowl and flowing onto the floor. Likewise, the tip was predisposed to fall from the rectum due to the generally vertical position of the person. Only a single temperature of water could be used without refilling the container such that introducing cold water after the warm water typically used so as to determine the extent of the water flow into the colon was difficult.
More recently, in an effort to improve on the colon cleansing process colon irrigation boards have been introduced which are typically flat and of such area as to partially support an adult person thereon with an opening over which a box-like shield is disposed to aid in directing the water and fecal matter outflow from the person's rectum into the opening. The board unit is supported at the end having the opening by the toilet and at the opposite end thereof by a box, chair, or the like. A person positions themself on the board in a reclining position with their rectum adjacent the opening therein and introducing water into the colon by means of the insertion tip into the rectum and connected at the other end thereof to an elevated container containing water as done above. In such a reclining position the flow of water into and out of the rectum is more controllable with the water and fecal matter more likely to go into the toilet due to the box-like shield. However, such colon irrigation boards are typically uncomfortable and lack a downhill drainage route for water and fecal matter which inevitably is splashed on the upper surface of the board to drain into the opening.
Such inadequacies led to the development and patenting of a colon irrigation unit similar to a colon irrigation board but with improved draining and splash shielding by the present inventor. This is U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,497 issued to Lowder which discloses a colon irrigation unit which has an opening at one end thereof with an arcuate shield disposed over the opening so as to form a generally vertically oriented opening leading into the toilet. A vertical sidewall extends laterally from each side of the shield and opening to aid in directing water and fecal matter into the opening. The upper surface of the unit slopes inwardly toward the center thereof and from the head end thereof to the opening with an upstanding lip around the perimeter thereof so as to retain and direct water and fecal matter into the opening away from the user. A tube extends through the shield and out through the opening to aid in positioning and retaining the hose and tip which deliver water to the person's rectum. While the colon irrigation unit provides improved fluid retention and direction toward the opening the unit must be used in conjunction with a toilet and be manually cleaned after each use, such that it is not well suited for use with a toilet in a professional setting such as by a doctor wherein multiple persons use it each day.
Even with the improvements in the colon irrigation unit mentioned, the separate elevated container and tubing apparatus used with the colonic irrigation unit is basically the same as has been used for years. A colon irrigation apparatus and method is needed for use by doctors and other professionals which is easily cleanable for consecutive use by multiple persons, has no odor emitted therefrom, with improved sanitation to prevent cross-contamination of users thereof, and which does not rely on the use of a standard toilet.